"BC012 - Houseboat Mystery - Warner, Gertrude Chandler" - читать интересную книгу автора (Warner Gertrude)

Henry's Invention

The next morning Henry said, "I have to leave half this stuff at home. I've got to take my camera and a flashlight and my fishing rod and tackle."
"Can't take that fishing tackle, Henry," called Mr. Alden from his room. "This time we will have to go without some things. There isn't room on the boat."
Jessie said, "Henry, I'm afraid Watch thinks he is" going. It's too bad to leave him at home." She looked at the big dog lying right in the way. She stepped over him.
Benny said, "He wouldn't like a houseboat trip. He whined when we went aboard. He would bark every time we went swimming. You'll be better off at home, Watch, with Mrs. McGregor."
When the Aldens were away, Mrs. McGregor, their housekeeper, took care of things. She nodded and said, "Watch is always all right after you go. He sleeps in the hall and wags his tail when I go by. Then he walks out in the yard and lies in the shade. Don't worry about him."
At last the Aldens had everything stuffed into their suitcases. Henry had his camera and Benny had a flashlight.
Mrs. McGregor was right. Watch barked a little, but not much. He sat on the front steps with Mrs. McGregor as the Aldens packed the car.
When Henry drove away, Jessie looked back and saw Watch go into the house with Mrs. McGregor. He didn't even try to follow the car.
"Well," Jessie said, "we don't have to worry about Watch anymore. I'm glad."
When the Aldens reached River Road, Mr. Alden said, "There is a store on this road before we get to the houseboat."
"Yes, Mr. Rivers told me about it, too," said Jessie. "He says all the houseboat people get their food there. The man knows what they need."
As the Aldens came into the store, the groceryman said, "So you want to try houseboat life?"
"That's right," Benny said.
"Five of you, I see," said the man. "You can choose between three cans of tuna and three cans of chicken. Take two cans of beans or two cans of hash. You can use a dozen eggs, two quarts of milk, two loaves of bread, sugar, salt, and butter. One cake of soap can be used for washing everything."
"Coffee?" asked Violet, looking at Grandfather.
"Oh, yes, coffee," the groceryman said. "But if you forget anything, you can stop and buy more down the river. We call it Second Landing."
The Aldens put the groceries in the car and went along toward the houseboat. Mr. Rivers was there.
"Right on time!" he said. "You can lock your car and park it here. It will be safe. I'll help you unload."
"Fine!" said Benny. "I can hardly wait to see this boat go."
"You can hardly see it go," said Mr. Rivers, "even when it goes." That made everyone laugh.
The suitcases and supplies were soon on board. Benny climbed up the ladder and changed the name to The James H. Alden.
"Looks fine," said Mr. Rivers. Then he said to Henry, "Just pole yourself out to the middle of the river. It's about eight feet deep. You can dive out there all right."
"This is so exciting," said Jessie as Henry pulled up the anchor and Mr. Rivers untied the rope.
Henry began to pole. Then suddenly there they were, floating gently away!
"Goody-bye, Mr. Rivers!" they shouted.
"Good luck!" he called. He watched them as they went out of sight around a bend in the river.
"Oh, let's just watch the river for a little while," said Violet. She sat down on the deck. "It won't take us long to get settled."
It was peaceful on the river. Sometimes it was so narrow that the beautiful trees almost met overhead. A big orange-and-black butterfly flew right across the deck.
"Look, a milkweed butterfly," said Violet.
Benny looked at the cattails. They grew very thick near the shore. Suddenly he pointed. A red-winged blackbird was swinging on the reeds.
"Isn't that beautiful?" said Jessie. "What bright red and yellow on his black wings!"
"He doesn't sing," said Violet. "Oh, he saw us. Do you suppose he has a nest somewhere?"
Then they all saw the nest. A dull brown bird flew off, showing a grassy cup with five blue eggs in it.
Mr. Alden said, "This must be their second family this year. It is too late for the first one."
Benny said, "That pattern on the eggs is like modern art. All those brown wiggles. And look—there's a blue heron."
The water bird stood on one leg and did not move. He was so near that the Aldens could see every blue-gray feather and its black eyes.
"That's probably why that other family named this boat The Blue Heron," said Benny. "Maybe they saw a lot of blue herons."
In a little while the Aldens began to put things away. Jessie put the food on the shelf. She came back on the deck to get the box of salt. Just as she picked it up, a bird flew right in front of her.
"Oh!" cried Jessie, jumping back. The salt slipped out of her hand and rolled along the deck, over the edge, and into the water.
"Oh, how could I?" said Jessie. "Now we haven't any salt. And we must have salt."
Grandfather said, "Don't worry, Jessie. We'll just watch for Second Landing and get another box of salt."
In about half an hour Benny called out, "There it is. That must be Second Landing."
"Yes," said Henry. "And it looks as if there are several buildings there."
Henry poled The James H. Alden up to the dock. The Aldens remembered what Mr. Rivers had said. They locked the houseboat, windows and all. Henry made sure it was tied up safely and the anchor dropped.
As usual, Benny was in a hurry. He was the first one on the dock and the first one on the narrow path. As he went through the bushes, he didn't see a stone in his way and tripped over it and fell. When he stood up, he was covered with dirt and grass stains.
Jessie brushed him off and said, "Well, I guess I'll have to wash these clothes, Ben. When we get back to the houseboat, you pull up a pail of water from the river."
Violet added, "You can put on your swimsuit while your clothes dry. We can hang them on that little clothesline on the houseboat."
"Oh," said Benny, "that's a lot of work. I don't care much how I look."